02/19/22 Praying With JESUS: 40 Days Toward Church Revitalization — Day 24

“Those who believe God is able to bring about remarkable things lead REVITALIZED churches. But make no mistake: God’s level of blessing typically rises to the level of our expectation. Look at pastors in history who led REVITALIZING churches, from McCheyne to Spurgeon, from Baxter to Criswell. These men all had a compelling vision to do something for which only God could be given credit… Sometimes we are so afraid of being presumptuous in our faith we end up believing God for little to nothing. What is happening in your life and ministry just now that can only be explained by the fact that Jesus rose from the dead?” --Alvin Reid, in REVITALIZE Your Church Through Gospel Recovery (pp. 42, 44-45)

Matthew 17:14-20 (ESV)
14 And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him,
15 said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water.
16 And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.”
17 And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.”
18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly.
19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?”
20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

FAITH… Jesus’ frustration in this passage is not about the “size” of the disciples’ faith, but the kind of faith they lacked – believing, vibrant, living faith! Jesus said, “You unbelieving and perverted generation…” (17:17), and, “if you have faith the size of a mustard seed…” (17:20), you will be able to see miracles occur! Again, it is not your size of faith that matters as you seek God’s REVITALIZING, restoring power in your church. It is a matter of heart-felt, vibrant, living faith in the God of the impossible, even as small as a mustard seed!

PRAY… Father, I believe You alone are God; there is no other! You are the author of our salvation and You are the means by which REVITALIZATION will happen in my life and in our church. I join the cry of the convulsing boy’s father when he cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24). Strengthen my faith every single day to keep trusting You alone to do the miraculous in our church! I believe You are more than able to do more than I can even ask or imagine, so please do it as you build my faith every day. In Your Son’s Name I pray, Amen.